Budgets, Planning and Financial Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I get access to my budget in the Banner system? A: A Banner Request Form must be completed to obtain access to the system in general. However, a Finance User Profile Form must also be completed and signed by your supervisor to access budget information. Both documents may be found in the forms section on the home page of this website.

Q: What is the primary form in Banner for viewing my budget information? A: The Executive Summary Form (FGIBDSR) is the main form for querying your budget in Banner. The information displayed on this form is real-time, and includes your current budget, year-to-date activity, commitments (which represent encumbered dollars for work not yet completed or merchandise not yet received) and the net available balance by line item and in total. Please refer to the FGIBDSR Desktop Procedures that may be found on the home page of this website.

Q: Is budget training offered to new budget managers? A: Yes. Classroom training for budget query and document tracking is offered in conjunction with the online requisitions training that is conducted by the Purchasing Department. Please refer to the Purchasing website for further details on the training schedule. In addition, your assigned Budget Analyst is available to assist you with any questions or concerns that you might have.

Q:Am I able to move funds between budget line items? A: Funds may be moved between the line items of your institutional general and administrative (G&A) budget, with the exception of contracted amounts and fixed cost items. In the case of restricted budgets, please refer to the terms and conditions outlined in your grant document by the funding agency.

Q:Am I able to carry forward any remaining budget dollars from one year to the next? A: In the case of institutional budgets, funds remaining at the close of a fiscal year cannot be carried forward to the next year. Please refer to the terms and conditions outlined in your grant document by the funding agency to determine if restricted funds may be carried forward.

Q:Am I able to move funds between my personnel budget and my G&A budget? A: These types of budget transfers are generally not allowed. However, under special circumstances, these transfers might be permitted, but only with the authorization of your area VP and the Chief Financial Officer.

Q:If I am the authorized signer for both a restricted budget and an institutional budget, am I able to transfer funds between the two? A: No, co-mingling of restricted and institutional funds is not allowed.

Q:Am I able to designate signing authority for my budget to someone else in my absence?A: You may designate signing authority for institutional budgets in the case of planned extended absences, with the authorization of your area VP. This authorization must be in writing, and the document must include the designated dollar limit, the types of expenditures (e.g. job requisitions versus purchase requisitions) and the time period during which the individual is authorized to sign. In the case of restricted budgets, written approval must be obtained from the granting agency.

Q:When should I request a purchase order versus requesting a direct payment by check?A: Purchase orders are the preferred method of procurement for Morehouse College and should be requested before any work is performed or merchandise ordered. Once the work is performed or the merchandise has been received, the vendor should submit an invoice. The invoice should then be authorized and presented to the Business Office for processing. In those special cases when a direct payment is required (e.g. hotel deposits), the original invoice should be presented for payment. Statements, quotes and proposals are not acceptable forms of documentation for direct payment.

Q:If I purchase an item that is related to my job, is the College obligated to reimburse me? A: No. Using personal funds to purchase anything on behalf of Morehouse College is a risk. The College is not obligated to issue reimbursements for purchases made outside of the College’s normal procurement process.